Kenai River Canyon Fishing Trips – For the Remote Traveler
A trip down the Kenai River canyon (Jim’s Landing to Skilak Lake) takes you deep into the heart of the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge. It is part of the upper river, and classified as drift only. It is comprised of the last three miles of the upper Kenai River and flows into beautiful Skilak Lake. This less-traveled section has some of the most dramatic Alaskan scenery as well as extremely productive trout waters. Here, nice rainbow trout and Dolly Varden congregate with spawning salmon to eat their eggs and get fat! Kenai River Canyon trips are weather dependent. The boat take-out is at the other end of Skilak Lake, and high winds coming off the Harding Ice Field can make crossing Skilak Lake unsafe. A decision to complete the canyon will be finalized the day of the prospective float.
The Kenai River canyon is a unique section of the Kenai River and the Kenai national wildlife refuge for two main reasons. The first is the canyon’s remoteness. Unlike the rest of the river, the canyon no longer follows the road. The second reason are the stretches of whitewater. This section is the fastest part of the Kenai River. For these two reasons, the Kenai River canyon is less crowded, less fished, and overall a more wild experience.
Your day ends by crossing the beautiful and expansive Skilak Lake, with the snowcapped Kenai Mountains rising majestically from the river and lake’s shores, and plenty of wildlife to view along the way; this is a trip you won’t forget!
Fall fishing along the Kenai River canyon section is one of my personal favorites. With the canyon’s rich and plentiful food supply, fish that reside in Skilak Lake migrate to this section to gorge on salmon eggs and salmon flesh in the fall and grow to be monsters! Hungry and aggressive, these rainbow trout and Dolly Varden are exciting to catch! Combine fantastic fishing with Alaska’s brilliant fall colors, this fishing trip is one you should not miss!
View other locations of the Kenai River.
Price is $300.00 per person per day for a full day 8 hour trip.
